List of UK Albums Chart number ones of the 1990s

The UK Albums Chart is a weekly record chart based on album sales from Sunday to Saturday in the United Kingdom; during the 1990s, a total of 216 albums reached number one. Until 1 February 1994, the chart was compiled each week by Gallup – after this date, it was managed by Millward Brown, who expanded the number of sales figures sampled, and extended the use of electronic point of sale machines. From July 1998 onwards, compilation of the chart was overseen by the Chart Information Network, jointly operated by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and the British Association of Record Dealers. Throughout the decade, the chart was based solely on physical album sales, and each week's number one was first announced on Sunday evenings on The Radio 1 Chart Show.

The most successful artist of the 1990s was British band Simply Red, who topped the UK Albums Chart for 19 weeks with four different albums. Stars, their fourth studio album, sold 3.29 million copies in total, and was the biggest-selling album of both 1991 and 1992. Stars was the second biggest-selling album of the decade; it was outsold by Manchester band Oasis's second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which spent 10 weeks at number one during 1995 and 1996, and sold 4.16 million copies. It was the highest-certified album of the 1990s, achieving platinum certification 13 times. Following the album's success, Oasis's follow-up, Be Here Now, sold 663,000 copies in the first four days of its release, making it the fastest-selling album in UK chart history.

The first number-one album of the 1990s was ...But Seriously by Phil Collins – released in 1989, ...But Seriously first reached number one in December of that year, and remained at the top for eight weeks. It stayed at number one for nine weeks during the decade, and was the biggest-selling album of 1990. The final number one of the 1990s was Come On Over by Shania Twain. Like ...But Seriously, Come on Over remained at number one into the following decade, and was the biggest-selling album of its year. In chart terms, the most successful album of the nineties was Spice, the debut album from the Spice Girls, which spent 15 weeks at number one over five separate runs. The Spice Girls' record label, Virgin Records, was the most successful label of the decade – with an artist roster that included the Spice Girls, Phil Collins and Meat Loaf, Virgin topped the albums chart with 19 different albums for a total of 62 weeks.

Number ones +Keynth album to top the UK Albums ChartreReturn of an album to number oneSilverSilver certification (60,000 units)GoldGold certification (100,000 units)PlatinumPlatinum certification (300,000 units)Best-selling album of the yearBest-selling album of the decade ← 1980s19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000s → ArtistAlbumRecord labelReached number one(for the week ending)Weeks atnumber oneCertification(as of 31December 1999)402Virgin8403ColourIsland1Virgin7404I Do Not Want What I Haven't GotEnsign1405ChangesbowieEMI1406Only Yesterday: Richard and Karen Carpenter's Greatest HitsA&M2407Fleetwood MacBehind the MaskWarner Bros.1Only Yesterday: Richard and Karen Carpenter's Greatest HitsA&M5408Soul II SoulVol. II: 1990 – A New Decade103409Decca1410New Kids on the BlockStep by StepCBS1Decca3411Sleeping with the PastRocket5412PrinceGraffiti BridgePaisley Park1413In ConcertDecca1414Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1Epic1In ConcertDecca4415Some FriendlySituation Two1416Warner Bros.2417Rocket2418MadonnaSire9419EnigmaMCMXC a.D.Virgin1420StingA&M1421Jesus JonesDoubtFood1422QueenInnuendoParlophone2423Circle of OneFontana1424AubergeEast West1425SpartacusProduce1426R.E.M.Out of TimeWarner Bros.1427EurythmicsGreatest HitsRCA9428SealSealZTT3EurythmicsGreatest HitsRCA1429CherLove HurtsGeffen6430Essential Pavarotti IIDecca2431MetallicaMetallicaVertigo1432Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatReally Useful/Polydor2433From Time to Time – The Singles CollectionColumbia1434Dire StraitsOn Every StreetVertigo1435Guns N' RosesUse Your Illusion IIGeffen1436Waking Up the NeighboursA&M1437Simply RedStars East West2438ErasureChorusMute1Simply RedStars East West1439QueenGreatest Hits IIParlophone1440EnyaShepherd MoonsWEA1441GenesisWe Can't DanceVirgin1442DangerousEpic Records1QueenGreatest Hits IIParlophone4Simply RedStars East West5443Wet Wet WetHigh on the Happy Side2Simply RedStars East West3444MadnessDivine MadnessVirgin3445Human TouchColumbia1446Def LeppardAdrenalizeBludgeon Riffola1447DivaRCA1448Right Said FredUpTug1449WishFiction1Simply RedStars East West1450Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine1992 – The Love AlbumChrysalis1451Iron MaidenFear of the DarkEMI1452Michael BallPolydor1453Back to FrontMotown6454U.F.OrbBig Life1455Columbia3456INXSWelcome to Wherever You AreMercury1GenesisWe Can't DanceVirgin1457Best...IWEA1458Greatest HitsPWL International1459Tubular Bells IIWEA2460Virgin1461ABBAGold: Greatest HitsPolydor1462R.E.M.Automatic for the PeopleWarner Bros.1463Prince and The New Power GenerationSymbolPaisley Park1464Simple MindsGlittering Prize 81/92Virgin3465Bon JoviKeep the FaithJambco1466CherGreatest Hits: 1965–1992Geffen1467ErasurePop! The First 20 HitsMute2CherGreatest Hits: 1965–1992Geffen6468GenesisCharisma2469Little AngelsJamPolydor1470Pure Cult: for Rockers, Ravers, Lovers, and SinnersBeggars Banquet1471Words of LovePolyGram TV/MCA1472East 17WalthamstowLondon1DivaRCA1473Are You Gonna Go My WayVirgin2474Hot ChocolateTheir Greatest HitsEMI1475Depeche ModeSongs of Faith and DevotionMute1476SuedeSuedeNude1477Black Tie White NoiseArista1R.E.M.Automatic for the PeopleWarner Bros.1478EMI1R.E.M.Automatic for the PeopleWarner Bros.1479New OrderRepublicCentredate Co1R.E.M.Automatic for the PeopleWarner Bros.1480JanetVirgin24812 UnlimitedNo LimitsPWL Continental1482What's Love Got to Do with ItParlophone1483JamiroquaiEmergency on Planet EarthSony S23484U2ZooropaIsland1485UB40Promises and LiesDEP International7486Music BoxColumbia1487Meat LoafBat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell Virgin1488NirvanaIn UteroGeffen1Meat LoafBat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell Virgin1489Pet Shop BoysVeryParlophone1Meat LoafBat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell Virgin1490Take ThatEverything ChangesRCA1Meat LoafBat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell Virgin3491Both SidesVirgin1Meat LoafBat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell Virgin5492One Woman: The Ultimate CollectionEMI1Take ThatEverything ChangesRCA1493So Far So GoodA&M1One Woman: The Ultimate CollectionEMI1494Chaka Demus & PliersTease MeMango2495Under the PinkEast West1496EnigmaVirgin1Music BoxColumbia4497MorrisseyVauxhall and IParlophone1Music BoxColumbia1498Pink FloydEMI4499BlurParklifeFood1500Deacon BlueOur Town – The Greatest HitsColumbia2501ErasureI Say I Say I SayMute1502SealSealZTT25032 UnlimitedReal ThingsPWL1504Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?Island1505Ace of BaseHappy NationLondon2506Music for the Jilted GenerationXL1507Voodoo LoungeVirgin1508Wet Wet WetEnd of Part One: Their Greatest Hits4509PrinceComeWarner Bros.1Wet Wet WetEnd of Part One: Their Greatest Hits1510OasisDefinitely MaybeCreation1511Teldec1512From the CradleDuck1513SongsEpic1514R.E.M.MonsterWarner Bros.2515Bon JoviCross Road Jambco/Mercury3516NirvanaMTV Unplugged in New YorkGeffen1Bon JoviCross Road Jambco/Mercury2517Carry On up the ChartsGo! Discs1518Live at the BBCParlophone1Carry On up the ChartsGo! Discs6519Epic6520Greatest HitsColumbia1521MedusaRCA1522ElasticaElasticaDeceptive1Epic1523Wake Up!Creation1Greatest HitsColumbia1524Wet Wet WetPicture This3525Take ThatNobody ElseRCA2526Stanley RoadGo! Discs1527SinglesColumbia1528Pink FloydPulseEMI2529HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book IEpic1530Bon JoviThese DaysMercury4531SupergrassI Should CocoParlophone3532Black GrapeIt's Great When You're Straight... YeahRadioactive2533BoyzoneSaid and DonePolydor1534Beggars Banquet1535LevellersZeitgeistChina1536BlurFood2537DaydreamColumbia1538OasisCreation1539Simply RedLifeEast West3540PulpDifferent ClassIsland1541QueenMade in HeavenParlophone1542Robson & JeromeRobson & Jerome RCA7OasisCreation6543Expecting to FlySuperior Quality1OasisCreation3544Falling into YouEpic1545Anthology 2Apple1546Take ThatGreatest HitsRCA4547Jagged Little Pill Maverick2548Ash1977Infectious1549OlderVirgin3550MetallicaLoadVertigo155118 til I DieA&M1Jagged Little Pill Maverick1552Crowded HouseRecurring DreamCapitol2Jagged Little Pill Maverick8553SuedeComing UpNude1554R.E.M.New Adventures in Hi-FiWarner Bros.1555Kula ShakerKColumbia2556NaturalMushroom1557Simply RedGreatest HitsEast West2558Blue Is the ColourGo! Discs1559BoyzonePolydor1560Spice GirlsSpiceVirgin1561Robson & JeromeTake TwoRCA2Spice GirlsSpiceVirgin8562Original cast recordingEvitaWarner Bros.1563ReefGlowSony S21564TexasWhite on BlondeMercury1565BlurBlurFood1566MansunAttack of the Grey LanternParlophone1Spice GirlsSpiceVirgin1567U2PopIsland1Spice GirlsSpiceVirgin4568Dig Your Own HoleVirgin1569Depeche ModeUltraMute1570Tellin' StoriesBeggars Banquet2Spice GirlsSpiceVirgin1571Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the MixEpic2572Open RoadRCA1573Wu-Tang ClanWu-Tang ForeverLoud1574HansonMiddle of NowhereMercury1575RadioheadOK ComputerParlophone2576XL6TexasWhite on BlondeMercury1577OasisBe Here Now Creation4578Ocean Colour SceneMarchin' AlreadyMCA1OasisBe Here Now Creation1579Urban HymnsHut5580Spice GirlsSpiceworldVirgin2581Let's Talk About LoveEpic2Spice GirlsSpiceworldVirgin1Let's Talk About LoveEpic2Urban HymnsHut6582Titanic: Music from the Motion PictureSony Classical1Urban HymnsHut1Titanic: Music from the Motion PictureSony Classical2583MadonnaRay of LightMaverick2Let's Talk About LoveEpic1584JamesFontana1585PulpThis Is HardcoreIsland1586Life thru a LensChrysalis2587Massive AttackMezzanineCirca2588CatatoniaInternational VelvetBlanco y Negro1589GarbageVersion 2.0Mushroom1590Simply RedBlueEast West1591BoyzoneWhere We BelongPolydor1Simply RedBlueEast West1592EmbraceHut1593Talk on Corners Atlantic1594FiveFiveRCA1Talk on Corners Atlantic1595Beastie BoysHello NastyGrand Royal1596Jane McDonaldFocus Music International3Talk on Corners Atlantic3BoyzoneWhere We BelongPolydor2Talk on Corners Atlantic1597Manic Street PreachersThis Is My Truth Tell Me YoursEpic3598HitsVirgin1599QuenchGo! Discs2600I've Been Expecting YouChrysalis1601U2Island1602Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George MichaelEpic8I've Been Expecting YouChrysalis1603Fatboy SlimYou've Come a Long Way, BabySkint4I've Been Expecting YouChrysalis1Talk on CornersAtlantic3604StereophonicsPerformance and CocktailsV21605Blur13Food2Talk on CornersAtlantic1ABBAGold: Greatest HitsPolydor1606CatatoniaEqually Cursed and BlessedBlanco y Negro1ABBAGold: Greatest HitsPolydor2607SuedeHead MusicNude1608TexasMercury1ABBAGold: Greatest HitsPolydor2609BoyzoneBy RequestPolydor2610JamiroquaiSynkronizedS21611SurrenderVirgin1BoyzoneBy RequestPolydor7612TravisIndependiente2613Come On Over Mercury3614LeftfieldRhythm and StealthHard Hands1615ReloadGut1Come On Over Mercury3616StepsSteptacularEBUL3617All the Way... A Decade of SongEpic1StepsSteptacularEBUL1Come On Over Mercury5 ← 1980s19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000s →

By artist

Eight artists spent 12 weeks or more at number one on the album chart during the 1990s. ArtistNumber onesWeeks at number oneAlbumsSimply Red419Stars (1991–92, twelve weeks at number one) Life (1995, three weeks) Greatest Hits (1996, two weeks) Blue (1998, two weeks)Spice Girls218Spice (1996–97, fifteen weeks at number one) Spiceworld (1997, three weeks)Oasis316Definitely Maybe (1994, one week at number one) (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995–96, ten weeks) Be Here Now (1997, five weeks)Boyzone414Said and Done (1995, one week at number one) A Different Beat (1996, one week) Where We Belong (1998, three weeks) By Request (1997, nine weeks)414The Colour of My Love (1995, seven weeks at number one) Falling into You (1996, one week) Let's Talk About Love (1997–8, five weeks)